Eagle Rare vs Russell's Reserve single barrel

[CigarStone]

I am sitting at a bar, tasting Eagle Rare and RR Single Barrel at the same time.

So close it's truly hard to find a difference. In Ohio, ER is $38 but cant be found, RRSB is $65 and occassionally available.

 

[BurnBerry]

IMO ER is extremely overrated just because it's a BT product, just like certain EHT bottles. RRSB is very good and easy to find in the South and I recommend you try Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you like the RRSB.

 

[gormag38]

I must say, I have to agree with the poster above. ER gets a whole lot of hype just for being a BT product. Is it worth the 30-40 bucks it retails at? absolutely! Is it worth the $80 the liquor store down the street is charging right now? Nope!
Personally I'd take the single barrel any day of the week. But I'm pretty fond of RR

 

[Not A Nice Person]

WT Rare Breed is excellent and makes a STELLAR Old Fashioned.

~Boar

 

[Brickhouse]

I find Eagle Rare appropriately rated, but difficult to find and a bit too much with the last few years price increases.

Having said that, I think you'll find RR 10 to be a closer match to ER and a much better price point than the single barrel.

 

[CigarStone]

WT Rare Breed is excellent and makes a STELLAR Old Fashioned.

~Boar

I believe this will be my next purchase, however I would not use really good sipping bourbon to make an old fashioned.

This might be because my palate is not quite as refined as other people's?

 

[ggiese]

IMO ER is extremely over rated just because it's a BT product, just like certain EHT bottles. RRSB is very good and easy to find in the South and I recommend you try Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you like the RRSB.

Love the Wild Turkey Rare Breed - very easy to find and a great, smooth, easy to drink sipping whiskey

 

[ggiese]

IMO ER is extremely over rated just because it's a BT product, just like certain EHT bottles. RRSB is very good and easy to find in the South and I recommend you try Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you like the RRSB.

ER has its place, but I am mystified why it is so allocated. And I sure as hell will not pay over MSRP for it. That's insane. But I would love to get my hands on EHT Rye - that is one of my absolute favorite rye whisky's. I hate paying over MSRP, but there's no getting around that. I just won't pay OMG prices for it. I don't mind someone making a little something off of it, but I sure as hell do not want to fund their whole retirement plan!

 

[BurnBerry]

ER has its place, but I am mystified why it is so allocated. And I sure as hell will not pay over MSRP for it. That's insane.

FOMO (fear of missing out) is disease that is fueled by social media. People buy all these bottles so they can talk about having certain bottles. Don't get me started lol

 

[ggiese]

FOMO (fear of missing out) is disease that is fueled by social media. People buy all these bottles so they can talk about having certain bottles. Don't get me started lol

You should have seen the line at the Buffalo Trace distillery when people were given the chance to purchase one bottle of Blanton's (and only one bottle every 90 days). It was CRAZY. Thought they were giving away free Lamborghini's!

 

[CigarStone]

You should have seen the line at the Buffalo Trace distillery when people were given the chance to purchase one bottle of Blanton's (and only one bottle every 90 days). It was CRAZY. Thought they were giving away free Lamborghini's!

And Blanton's is waaaaaaay over-rated too! Now the Blanton's Hold was pretty darn good!

 

[BurnBerry]

You should have seen the line at the Buffalo Trace distillery when people were given the chance to purchase one bottle of Blanton's (and only one bottle every 90 days). It was CRAZY. Thought they were giving away free Lamborghini's!

Yea the wife and I just laugh at them. Every time we've been, it seems the bottle of the day is always EHT small batch..... Like you said, you'd thought they were giving away something of real value for free...

 

[BurnBerry]

And Blanton's is waaaaaaay over-rated too!

1000%

STFB is the only one worth having.

 

[ggiese]

And Blanton's is waaaaaaay over-rated too! Now the Blanton's Hold was pretty darn good!

I had a bottle of the Blanton's Gold - and it was no doubt a bit better than Blanton's. But the price versus what it was - and the supposed scarcity - does not really seem to me to be worth the $$$ or hype. A great bottle of bourbon for the $70/80ish range - but $150? I've had a lot of bourbons in that price range that were just as good or better - hard for me personally to be on the hunt for it other than to help others who are looking for it...

IMHO of course...

 

[ggiese]

Yea the wife and I just laugh at them. Every time we've been, it seems the bottle of the day is always EHT small batch..... Like you said, you'd thought they were giving away something of real value for free...

I'd take Wellers, EHT or Eagle Rare any day over the Blanton's - and all of them are cheaper...

I did get a bottle of Blanton's while there - and the little 1 oz. mini Blanton's bottles (that were on sale) so that I could split them the Blanton's up with some friends. All were thrilled to death to get the small bottle and enjoyed the Blanton's. More power to them and glad I could do it for them!

 

[CigarStone]

I had a bottle of the Blanton's Gold - and it was no doubt a bit better than Blanton's. But the price versus what it was - and the supposed scarcity - does not really seem to me to be worth the $$$ or hype. A great bottle of bourbon for the $70/80ish range - but $150? I've had a lot of bourbons in that price range that were just as good or better - hard for me personally to be on the hunt for it other than to help others who are looking for it...

IMHO of course...

The bottle I tasted was free. A friend won it in the Ohio liquor lottery.

It's a shame that so many good Bourbons are ridiculously priced!

 

[Eshaw99]

I'd take Wellers, EHT or Eagle Rare any day over the Blanton's - and all of them are cheaper...

I did get a bottle of Blanton's while there - and the little 1 oz. mini Blanton's bottles (that were on sale) so that I could split them the Blanton's up with some friends. All were thrilled to death to get the small bottle and enjoyed the Blanton's. More power to them and glad I could do it for them!

I am admittedly a BT fanboy. I've acquired many bottles of Blanton's, ER, EHT, Weller, etc. over the years (none since I moved to Virginia), but I only buy them when I can get them at MSRP so those are obviously few and far between. The only exception to that was a bottle of Blanton's Straight From The Barrel. I still have 3/4 left of that one.

I think ER is a great bourbon at a $30 price point, but I can't imagine why some people are paying double that or more. I try to direct those people to Four Roses Single Barrel, which is a better bourbon and much more widely available. I used to get that for $36 as recently as two years ago (in Indiana), but now some places are selling it close to $50. When the hype train gets rolling, the prices go up.

 

[ggiese]

I am admittedly a BT fanboy. I've acquired many bottles of Blanton's, ER, EHT, Weller, etc. over the years (none since I moved to Virginia), but I only buy them when I can get them at MSRP so those are obviously few and far between. The only exception to that was a bottle of Blanton's Straight From The Barrel. I still have 3/4 left of that one.

I think ER is a great bourbon at a $30 price point, but I can't imagine why some people are paying double that or more. I try to direct those people to Four Roses Single Barrel, which is a better bourbon and much more widely available. I used to get that for $36 as recently as two years ago (in Indiana), but now some places are selling it close to $50. When the hype train gets rolling, the prices go up.

Completely agree on the Four Roses. I was definitely surprised when someone suggested I pick that up, but they were spot on. And there are others that are equally as good or better than some of the outrageously priced "collectors" bourbons. One I found recently that is one of my go-to's (if you can find it) is Middle West Wheated Bourbon. It's a product of Ohio (known for its great bourbons... NOT). I'm also a huge fan of Bowman, especially the Isaac Bowman Port Barrel finished. All of which are in the very reasonable price range of the RETAIL pricing of the Buffalo Trace "specials".

But last week I was particularly blessed when my local grocery store received an allocation of Wellers 12 yr. I paid $40 and HOLY CRAP that's some good whiskey! I know it will be an awful long time before I see another bottle - so I will judiciously allocate that one for only very special occasions! It's a shame I need to do that with a $40 bottle of whiskey. Damn those hoarders that want to make huge profits off of others...

 

[Eshaw99]

Completely agree on the Four Roses. I was definitely surprised when someone suggested I pick that up, but they were spot on. And there are others that are equally as good or better than some of the outrageously priced "collectors" bourbons. One I found recently that is one of my go-to's (if you can find it) is Middle West Wheated Bourbon. It's a product of Ohio (known for its great bourbons... NOT). I'm also a huge fan of Bowman, especially the Isaac Bowman Port Barrel finished. All of which are in the very reasonable price range of the RETAIL pricing of the Buffalo Trace "specials".

But last week I was particularly blessed when my local grocery store received an allocation of Wellers 12 yr. I paid $40 and HOLY CRAP that's some good whiskey! I know it will be an awful long time before I see another bottle - so I will judiciously allocate that one for only very special occasions! It's a shame I need to do that with a $40 bottle of whiskey. Damn those hoarders that want to make huge profits off of others...

Finding Weller 12 for $40 is insanely lucky. I have two bottles of Weller Antique 107 that I got from a Kroger in Toledo for just over $40. That’s about the right price for that one, but I’ve never seen Weller 12 for less than $80.

Also…good to talk to you again!

 

[ggiese]

Finding Weller 12 for $40 is insanely lucky. I have two bottles of Weller Antique 107 that I got from a Kroger in Toledo for just over $40. That’s about the right price for that one, but I’ve never seen Weller 12 for less than $80.

Also…good to talk to you again!

It's great to see you're still around! I keep seeing these CP ghosts pop up from time to time! And still harassing CC86 - his beloved Astros were destroyed in the World Series and I will not let him forget it!